The Philadelphia testifies to the heroic struggle between a hastily built fleet of American warships and an overwhelmingly superior British fleet on Lake Champlain in 1776. Although the Americans were defeated and the Philadelphia was sunk, the shipbuilding race and naval contest of which the gondola was a part delayed the British invasion, giving the Americans time to muster a defense that resulted in the British defeat at Saratoga in 1777.
In this work, John R. Bratten details the gunboat's history, construction, armament, tools, utensils, personal items, and rigging elements. Through his careful analysis, Bratten offers modern readers a glimpse of the naval battles that ultimately helped to win the independence of